Model kits car kit airplane kits model ship building Toys & Hobbies Auction info
Model kits | Pre-1980 For Sale | Used Pre-1980 | Cheap Pre-1980

Pre-1980

Vintage Gilbert Erector Set No 6 1 2 w working electric motor 1938 No 6.5

Vintage Gilbert Erector Set No 6 1 2 w working electric motor 1938 No 6.5

 13 $36.00 31m
Vintage Building Toy Gabriel Erector Set and Case 1976 over 250 pieces

Vintage Building Toy Gabriel Erector Set and Case 1976 over 250 pieces

 - $1.99 48m
Vintage A C Gilbert Erector set w electric engine, box & instruction manual

Vintage A C Gilbert Erector set w electric engine, box & instruction manual

 2 $26.00 1h 11m
A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "FD" Hinged Loop, Nickel Finish

A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "FD" Hinged Loop, Nickel Finish

 - $5.00 1h 34m
A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "JP" Crossheads, Hudson Locomotive

A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "JP" Crossheads, Hudson Locomotive

 - $40.00 1h 34m
A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "MA" Radiator

A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "MA" Radiator

 - $10.95 1h 34m
A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "FA" Screws, 1 3 4 Inch, Original

A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "FA" Screws, 1 3 4 Inch, Original

 - $4.95 1h 34m
A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "MB" 18 1 2 Inch Girders, Nickel Finish

A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "MB" 18 1 2 Inch Girders, Nickel Finish

 - $32.00 1h 34m
A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "MG" Hood

A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "MG" Hood

- $12.95 1h 34m
A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "MI" Front Axle Unit, Cadmium Finish

A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "MI" Front Axle Unit, Cadmium Finish

 - $13.95 1h 34m
A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "KA" Steam Pipe Casings Hudson Locomotive

A.C. Gilbert Erector Set "KA" Steam Pipe Casings Hudson Locomotive

 - $25.00 1h 34m
Vintage Gilbert Erector Amusement Park 10 1 2 set 1950s made in USA

Vintage Gilbert Erector Amusement Park 10 1 2 set 1950s made in USA

 - $249.00 1h 35m
Meccano Erector Set Parts and Battery Op Motor Drive

Meccano Erector Set Parts and Battery Op Motor Drive

 - $18.99 2h 13m
Vintage Gilbert 1950s Erector Set with Motor & Metal Case

Vintage Gilbert 1950s Erector Set with Motor & Metal Case

2 $10.00 3h 28m
A.C.GILBERT ERECTOR ELECTIC MOTOR ENGINE A-47 Vintage

A.C.GILBERT ERECTOR ELECTIC MOTOR ENGINE A-47 Vintage

 1 $9.99 3h 28m
Vintage 1966 Construct All 1500 Set + Extras w Instr.

Vintage 1966 Construct All 1500 Set + Extras w Instr.

 - $44.99 3h 48m
Vintage Gilbert 10051 Erector Set Metal Case Electric Motor Hoisting Crane Works

Vintage Gilbert 10051 Erector Set Metal Case Electric Motor Hoisting Crane Works

 7 $20.61 3h 58m
VINTAGE ERECTOR ENGINEER'S SET A.C. GILBERT CO. 1960'S TOY W BOX & INSTRUCTIONS

VINTAGE ERECTOR ENGINEER'S SET A.C. GILBERT CO. 1960'S TOY W BOX & INSTRUCTIONS

 - $14.99 4h 18m
Gilbert no. 6 1 2 Erector set

Gilbert no. 6 1 2 Erector set

- $50.00 4h 51m
MECCANO metal erector set 1920s playset newspaper ad

MECCANO metal erector set 1920s playset newspaper ad

 - $25.00 4h 52m
Gilbert Erector (4) matched DM wheels DR tires, original set, c.1929, VG+, NR

Gilbert Erector (4) matched DM wheels DR tires, original set, c.1929, VG+, NR

 7 $48.00 5h
Vintage Transogram Construct-All 2000

Vintage Transogram Construct-All 2000

 - $15.00 5h 37m
1938 GILBERT ERECTOR 8 1 2 BUILDING SET WITH WHISTLE

1938 GILBERT ERECTOR 8 1 2 BUILDING SET WITH WHISTLE

 7 $24.00 5h 51m
Meccano Threaded Couplings Part 63c Grub Screws Included

Meccano Threaded Couplings Part 63c Grub Screws Included

 - $6.31 7h 50m
Meccano Couplings Part 63g Grub Screws Included

Meccano Couplings Part 63g Grub Screws Included

 - $7.00 7h 58m
Meccano Magazine February 1955

Meccano Magazine February 1955

 - $4.66 8h 2m
Meccano Magazine July 1958

Meccano Magazine July 1958

 - $4.66 8h 10m
Meccano Magazine January 1959

Meccano Magazine January 1959

 - $4.66 8h 17m
ONE NEW HEAVY DRIVE BAND ( MECCANO 186e 20" )

ONE NEW HEAVY DRIVE BAND ( MECCANO 186e 20" )

- $1.55 9h 41m
ONE NEW 3" AXLE ROD IN SILVER STEEL ( MECCANO 16b )

ONE NEW 3" AXLE ROD IN SILVER STEEL ( MECCANO 16b )

 - $1.55 9h 47m

Model News

  • More Plastic Kit History The first plastic models were manufactured in the 1950s by the British firms Frog and Airfix. American manufacturers such as Revell, AMT, and Monogram gained ascendancy in the 1960s as French Heller SA in Europe. Since the 1970s, Japanese firms such as Hasegawa and Tamiya have dominated the field and represent the highest level of technology. Brands from Russia, Central Europe, China, and Korea have also become prominent recently. Many smaller companies have also produced plastic models. While injection molding is the predominant manufacturing process for plastic models, the high costs of equipment and making molds make it unsuitable for lower yield production. Thus, models of minor and obscure subjects are often manufactured using alternative processes. Vacuum forming is popular for aircraft models, though assembly is more difficult than for injection molded kits. Resin casting, popular with smaller manufacturers, particularly Aftermarket firms (but also producers of full kits) yields a greater degree of detail molded in situ, but as the moulds used do not last as long, the price of such kits is considerably higher. In recent times, the latest releases from major manufacturers offer unprecedented detail that is a match for the finest resin kits, often including high quality mixed media (photo etched brass, turned aluminum) parts. How to Build Plastic Models Most plastic models are injection molded in polystyrene, and the parts are glued together with plastic solvent. While often omitted by novice modelers, specially formulated paint is applied to assembled models. Complex markings such as aircraft insignia are typically provided with kits as slide-on decals. A recent trend has been to offer kits where the parts snap together, with no glue needed, and with a paint scheme reapplied to some or all of the parts. Plastic ship model kits typically provide thread in several sizes and colors for the rigging. Model Scales Almost all plastic models are designed in a well established scale. Each type of subject has one or more common scales, though they differ from one to the other. The general aim is to allow the finished model to be of a reasonable size, while maintaining consistency across models for collections. The following are the most common scales for popular subjects Aircraft    1/24, 1/32, 1/48, 1/72, and 1/144, with 1/48 and 1/72 being the most popular Military Vehicles   1/35, 1/48 ,1/72, 1/76 Automobiles 1/12,1/16,1/18,1/20,1/24,1/25,1/32,1/35,1/43 Ships 1/96, 1/350, 1/450, 1/700, and other odd scales In reality, models do not always conform to their nominal scale; there are 1/25 scale automobile models which are larger than some 1/24 scale models, for instance. For example, the engine in the recent reissue of the AMT Ala Kart show truck is significantly smaller than the engine in the original issue. AMT employees from the 1960s note that, at that time, all AMT kits were packaged into boxes of a standardized size, to simplify shipping and the overriding requirement of designing any kit was that it had to fit into that precise size of box, not matter how large or small the original vehicle.